Trientine is approved in United States to treat patient with Wilson's disease who are intolerant of D-penicillamine or tiopronin.

However, trientine exhibits poor oral absorption characteristics. Trientine has an oral bioavailability of 8-30% (Lu., Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2010, 9 (9), 2458-67) and requires up to four-times-a-day dosing.